The centre for human rights and rehabilitation (CHRR) has said there is need for police to provide comprehensive information on how a 16 year old boy was shot to death at area 22 in Lilongwe.
FaceofMalawi speaking to CHRR’s Executive Director, Timothy Mtambo made the remarks reacting to the incident which happened on Saturday.
“Police officers are professionals. They know how to handle their guns. For them to call the shooting accidental raises more questions than answers. They say they shot in the air. Was the person walking in the air? That makes a person think they were not actually shooting in the air,” Mtambo said.
The police must be held accountable for this death. They have violated someone’s right to life,” Mtambo said.
FOM reporters speaking to Malawi Human Rights Commission’s (MHRC) chairperson Sophie Kalinde on how police handled the matter and the commission’s views on the matter said it is contented with the way the police handled the matter.
“The Commission deals with individual incidents if there are complaints. We investigate the issues and make necessary recommendations. In this matter, the police have explained what happened. They even took the body to Balaka for burial. They have at least taken some responsibility. We could have taken them to task if they had not taken any remedial action,” revealed Kalinde.
They even took the body to Balaka for burial. They have at least taken some responsibility. We could have taken them to task if they had not taken any remedial action,” Kalinde said.
In an interview on Tuesday, police said the bullet hit the boy when they were trying to scare some robbers, who were suspected of stealing from people’s cars.
Lilongwe Police spokeperson Kingsley Dandaula said senior police officers discussed the matter with the deceased family.
He said the police took the responsibility of taking the body to Balaka for burial.
